South Africa vs Australia, 2020: 3rd ODI – Australia's losing streak, Heinrich Klaasen’s record series, Labuschagne's maiden ODI ton and more stats

South Africa completed a whitewash in the 3-match ODI series against Australia as they compiled a 6-wicket win in the final game on Saturday. Australia’s top three were back in the hut by the end of the 15th over with only 55 runs on the board. Marnus Labuschagne scored a run-a-ball 108 batting with the middle and lower-order to lift the total to 254/7. The South African chase was all about contributions as JJ Smuts (84), Kyle Verreynne (50) and Heinrich Klaasen (68*) scored the fifties. They completed the chase in only 45.3 overs for the loss of four wickets.

All the statistical highlights from South Africa’s 6-wicket win in the Potchefstroom ODI on Saturday:

Australia’s losing streak continues:

8 – Australia lost each of their last eight matches in the ODI format on the South African soil. They were whitewashed by the hosts in a 5-match ODI series in the 2016 tour and in the 3-match ODI series on the current tour. This is the longest losing streak in the ODI format for Australia in any country.

This is also the 2nd time the Aussies spent eight consecutive ODIs without a win. The other such streak came between 2017 and 2018 where they spent 8 ODIs without a win in England as their 6-match losing streak there was preceded by two washouts.

1/12 – Australia has managed to win only one of their last 13 ODI matches against South Africa. They are currently on a losing streak of five ODIs against the Proteas. Australia’s lone win against South Africa in the ODI format since 2016/17 season came at the Adelaide Oval in 2018.

South Africa’s happy hunting venue:

7-1 – The 2015 ODI against New Zealand was the only time South Africa lost an ODI match at the Senwes Park in Potchefstroom. They have played a total of ten ODIs at this venue winning in seven of them including Saturday’s victory over Australia. The first two matches they played here ended in a washout and Tie respectively.

A series to remember for Klaasen:

3 – Heinrich Klaasen is only the 3rd player with three fifty-plus scores while batting at No.5 or lower during a 3-match ODI series. Andrew Flintoff against Bangladesh in 2003 and Brendon McCullum against England in 2013 are the only players with three 50+ scores in a 3-match ODI series while batting at No.5 or a lower position.

242 – Klaasen’s 242 runs in this series are the most in a 3-match ODI series while batting outside top four. He went past Kedar Jadhav’s 232 runs aggregated during the 2017 home series against England.

South Africa bounce back after early setbacks:

1 – South Africa’s No.3, No.4 and No.5 recorded 50+ scores for the first time in an ODI run-chase. South Africa had six instances of No.3, No.4 and No.5 scoring 50+ runs in the same ODI before this match; all while batting first. The last of the previous six instances were against West Indies during the 2015 CWC game.

Labuschagne’s maiden hundred:

108 – Marnus Labuschagne is only the 3rd Australian to score an ODI century on South African soil while batting at No.4 or lower position. Michael Bevan scored 103 in the 1997 Centurion ODI against the hosts while Andrew Symonds smashed an unbeaten 143 against Pakistan in the 2003 CWC.